Cosmetic product article comprising a stamp

ABSTRACT

The cosmetic product article that includes a product container including an opening; a stamp having a main contact zone that can come into contact with part of a person&#39;s body; and a stopper bearing the stamp and capable of sealing the opening. The article is arranged such that the contact zone is oriented towards the container once the stamp has been inserted into the opening.

The invention concerns cosmetic product articles.

It is known to draw a line on the eyelid by means of an eyeliner taking the form of a brush or a felt-tip that makes it possible to apply accurately a liquid or semi-liquid composition.

This type of instrument has the disadvantage of requiring some skill, however. In fact, it is necessary to control the movement of the applicator and to carry out successively two precise gestures to draw the lines symmetrically on both eyelids, where appropriate with the requirement to perform a number of passes to work on each line.

The document WO 2014/001754 shows in FIG. 1 an article comprising an applicator. The applicator comprises two contact zones and is fixed to a handle, the latter being adapted to be screwed to the product reservoir so as to serve as a closure member while the applicator is impregnated with the product inside the reservoir. The applicator is applied to each eyelid. This device makes it possible to apply the required makeup more quickly than with the aforementioned instrument.

However, it is such that the applicator and its contact zones are oriented vertically in the reservoir when the device is not in use, which can, depending on the level of product in the reservoir, lead to non-uniform or incomplete impregnation of the contact zones and consequently difficulties in the application of the product to the eyelids. Similarly, this arrangement can lead to irregular wiping of the applicator when it is removed from the reservoir. Wiping can itself lead to irregular loading of each contact zone with product.

Finally, during use of the device, the user does not hold the applicator directly. They manipulate the closure member in line with the applicator along a principal axis parallel to the contact zones of the applicator. The user must therefore exert a sufficiently high pressure for one of the contact zones projecting from the handle to apply the product uniformly to the eyelid. All this is liable to compromise the quality of the makeup obtained.

The invention therefore aims to propose a cosmetic product article encouraging uniform impregnation of the contact zone of the applicator, regular wiping of the applicator, and easier application of the product to the eyelid or to another part of the body.

To this end, there is provided in accordance with the invention a cosmetic product article that includes:

-   -   a product reservoir having an orifice,     -   a stamp having a main contact zone capable of coming into         contact with a part of the body of a person, and     -   a closure member bearing the stamp and capable of closing the         orifice,         the article being arranged so that the entire contact zone is         oriented in the direction of the reservoir as soon as the stamp         is introduced into the orifice.

Accordingly, when the article is closed, the contact zone of the stamp is oriented entirely in the direction of the product contained in the reservoir, which makes it possible to impregnate it in a uniform manner. Moreover, the contact zone is the first part of the stamp to be in contact with the product. This makes it possible to optimize the consumption of product because the contact zone can be impregnated even when little product remains in the reservoir. This arrangement also facilitates the manipulation of the article. In fact, when the article is open, that is to say when the closure member is not closing the reservoir, the contact zone of the stamp is oriented in the direction away from the closure member and can be manipulated easily by holding the closure member, which makes it possible to apply the contact zone frontally to a part of the body. This application is effected in the manner of a stamp pad. In contrast to the use of a pen or a felt-tip, both eyes can be made up holding the stamp in the same hand. It is no longer necessary to change hands. Also, as the line is produced in a single application, it may be effected repetitively on both eyes and from one makeup session to another.

The article preferably comprises in the reservoir at least one product dispensing member, the article being arranged so that the contact zone is flush with the product dispensing member when the closure member is fastened to the reservoir so as to close the orifice.

This optimizes the consumption of product because the product is guided toward the contact zone.

The article advantageously comprises a wiper capable of wiping the stamp during the removal thereof from the orifice.

The stamp therefore transports just the right amount of product for application.

The wiper is preferably capable of providing a leaktight closure of the reservoir when the closure member does not close the orifice.

This manipulation of the article is easier and cleaner when the reservoir is open.

The wiper advantageously comprises two walls which are independent of one another and deformable, allowing the stamp to pass between them and capable of bearing against one another when the stamp is not between them.

The walls of the wiper therefore have a two-fold function: they make it possible to wipe the stamp during its removal from the reservoir and to close the reservoir when the latter is not closed by the closure member.

The article preferably comprises a limiter having an opening sized in order to limit a flow of the product out of the reservoir and in order to form a chamber delimited by the limiter and the wiper.

Thus the function of the limiter is to allow the passage of a reduced flow rate of product and to concentrate it on the contact zone of the stamp. In the closed position, the limiter may be in contact with the stamp or not. If there is contact, it must not generate any pressure in order to make it possible to impregnate of the portions of the contact zone that are located under the limiter. If there is no contact, the contact zone must anyway be sufficiently close to the opening for the product to come into contact only with it.

When the article is closed, the opening of the limiter is advantageously positioned against the contact zone of the stamp so as to enable the product to impregnate the whole of the contact zone.

The article may comprise a felt component in the reservoir.

The contact zone of the stamp is advantageously capable of coming into contact with the felt component in order to be impregnated with the product.

The advantage of the felt component is that it limits the flow of product out of the reservoir. The felt component may therefore be provided instead of the limiter. The function of both components is in fact to limit the flow of the product out of the reservoir. However, combining the two may still be envisaged.

The contact zone advantageously has a concave shape.

The stamp is therefore adapted to the shape of the eyelids. Application to the latter is therefore simpler and more uniform.

The contact zone preferably has a radius of between 40 and 100 mm.

This radius makes it possible to adapt to most eyelids taking account of the average shape of the eyelids of users.

The contact zone of the stamp may be flat.

A person can therefore use the article to apply product to a flat part of the body and not necessarily to an eyelid. They may also effect the application to the eyelid by means of a pivoting movement.

A width of the contact zone is advantageously between 0.5 mm and 4 mm, ideally between 1 mm and 2 mm.

The contact zone is therefore sufficiently narrow to enable the application of a thin line of product to the eyelids. All the same, it must have the width necessary to retain the product.

The closure member advantageously has a free end enabling the article to be put down on a flat surface by resting it on this sole end.

The article can therefore be stood on a flat surface, with the reservoir at the top and the closure member at the bottom, which enables the product to flow under gravity from the reservoir to the contact zone of the stamp. The contact zone of the stamp is therefore certain to be suitably impregnated with product, even when there is a low level of product in the reservoir. This free end may comprise a plurality of spaced parts.

The contact zone is preferably arranged to form on the part of the body at least one pattern not constituting a straight line.

It is therefore possible to draw various patterns on the intended parts of the body without modifying the gesture, simply by applying the contact zone featuring the pattern. Different stamps may each have different patterns on their contact zone whilst being identical in respect of the remainder of their features.

The article advantageously further comprises a cap capable of covering the closure member by being fastened to the reservoir when the closure member closes the orifice.

The leaktightness of the reservoir is therefore reinforced by the cap which enables a second closure of the article above the first. Also, the cap has an aesthetic function.

The product preferably comprises at least one element from among the following: water, a humectant, a polymer, a film-forming agent, a solubilizing agent, a pigment, a dye, a preserving agent, a gelling agent, a thickener and an emulsifier.

The product will therefore be more or less viscous depending on the combinations and amounts of these components. Moreover, the dynamic viscosity of the product is preferably between 1×10² and 1.5×10⁵ mPa·s, but may be as high as 3×10⁵ mPa·s. The product must be sufficiently liquid to reach the contact zone having the necessary viscosity not to flow along the stamp or toward the outside of the article.

The invention also provides a method for making up the skin wherein use is made of an article according to the invention and pressure is exerted on the closure member in the direction of the part of the body so that the stamp impregnates the latter with product.

The gesture to be performed is therefore simple and the application of the product to the skin is therefore uniform.

Three embodiments of the invention and variants that differ from one another notably in the shape of the base of the closure member will now be described by way of nonlimiting example with reference to the appended figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the article without the flow rate limiter, according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view in median longitudinal section of the article from FIG. 1 in a closed position, with no flow rate limiter,

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of an article according to a second embodiment in which the closure member has a wider flat base;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are views in section taken along the lines IV-IV and V-V of the article from FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4 of an article according to a third embodiment with a closure member with a flat base that is not wider, the article being in an open position;

FIG. 7 is a view in section taken along the line VII-VII of the article from FIG. 6;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are views of the article from FIGS. 6 and 7 in longitudinal section and in open and closed positions, respectively, to a larger scale and showing the mouth of the reservoir;

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the article in a variant embodiment in which a felt component is situated in the reservoir instead of the limiter;

FIG. 11 is a view of the article from FIG. 10 in a closed position and in section taken along the same line IV-IV as before;

FIG. 12 is a side view of the closure member of the article from FIG. 10 bearing the stamp;

FIG. 13 is a view of the stamp on its own, according to a variant in which the stamp has a contact zone formed by raised areas;

FIG. 14 is a top view of the stamp from FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a top view of a stamp according to another variant in which the contact zone forms a wave surrounded by a frame narrower than the thickness of the stamp;

FIG. 16 illustrates one way of using the article according to the invention; and

FIG. 17 shows an article according to a fourth embodiment including a cap.

In the following description, all numerical values are given by way of nonlimiting example and other values may be envisaged. Moreover, some of the members and some features of the articles are visible only in the figures showing certain embodiments and are described only in support of those figures. They are nevertheless deemed to be present in each embodiment and each variant unless otherwise indicated hereinafter.

According to a first embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cosmetic product article 100 comprises a closure member 1, an applicator forming a stamp 2, a reservoir 3, a limiter (not shown) and a wiper 5.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the article 100 has a longitudinal axis 10. The closure member 1 includes an external wall 15 having an elongate, for example elliptical, general shape in cross section in a plane perpendicular to the axis 10. The wall 15 forms a closed free end 11 the face 16 of which is of rounded shape in two mutually perpendicular planes and an open end 12 that includes an external orifice perpendicular to the axis 10, the two ends being opposite one another in the axial direction. Inside the cavity formed by the wall 15 of the closure member 1 are accommodated two parallel flat internal walls spaced from one another to form a space 13 that can be seen in FIG. 2. This space discharges at the open end 12 of the closure member via an orifice 14. Its cross section forms a flat rectangle as shown in FIG. 1.

The stamp 2 has a flat general shape delimited by two rectangular main flat faces, but one of the sides of the rectangle is curved to form the contact zone (see below). Perpendicularly to the axis 10 it has a male rectangular cross section complementary to the female rectangular cross section of the space 13 so as to be partly received in the space 13 as shown in FIGS. 2 to 8 and 12. Here the width e of the section (measured as indicated in the FIG. 14 variant) is 1 mm and its length 31 mm. The stamp bears an annular bead 21 in its median zone the cross section of which therefore has a greater width and a greater length.

The stamp 2 is rigidly fastened to the closure member and to this end is inserted into the orifice 14 of the space 13 until the bead 21 butts up against the internal walls at the level of the orifice 14. As FIGS. 1 and 2 show, it therefore includes a part 22 retained by friction or by virtue of being a tight fit in the space 13 and a part 24 projecting from the orifice 14 that terminates at its free end in the contact zone 23. These two parts are therefore separated by the bead 21. The contact zone 23 intended to be impregnated with product and to be applied to a part of the body is oriented toward the outside, that is to say in the direction away from the end 11 of the closure member 1. In this way, the closure member 1 is capable of serving as a holding zone for manipulating the stamp 2. The contact zone 23 is of concave shape so as to adapt to the shape of an eyelid onto which it is pressed. Its radius R, indicated in FIG. 12 in particular, is between 40 and 100 mm. Here it is 67 mm. This arrangement can also be seen in FIG. 12.

The stamp is entirely rigid in the sense that it does not include any parts such as teeth or bristles adapted to be deformed significantly by the effect of pressure.

According to a variant construction, the stamp and the closure member may be made in one piece by a mono-injection molding process or preferably by a bi-injection molding process.

The article also includes an elongate flat reservoir 3 that can be seen in FIG. 1 in particular and the cross section of which in a plane perpendicular to the axis 10 is of elliptical general shape. Its walls form two principal faces approaching one another and join to form a rounded end 31. At the opposite end, the reservoir discharges via an orifice 32 perpendicular to the axis 10. Here the thickness of its walls is 0.70 mm, the length of the reservoir 3 is 78.9 mm and its width is 39 mm.

The reservoir contains a cosmetic product. This product is liquid or semi-liquid. It is preferably intended for makeup on the human body, notably the face and in particular the eyelids, and therefore conforms to the applicable regulations. Here the article forms an eyeliner applicator.

As FIGS. 4 to 9 show, the flow rate limiter 4 is placed inside the reservoir 3, close to the orifice 32. It has a concave cylindrical principal wall of curved section, the axis of the cylinder being perpendicular to the principal faces of the reservoir and oriented perpendicularly to the axis 10. The center of curvature is situated on the reservoir side. As FIG. 9 shows, the limiter is equipped with rims that enable it to be retained inside the reservoir 3 by virtue of being a tight fit. It therefore butts up against an internal shoulder 33 of the reservoir 3. It does not close the reservoir completely because it includes an elongate central opening 41 that can be seen in FIG. 3 in particular that is rectilinear seen in plan and allows the product to pass through. It therefore makes it possible to limit the flow of the product out of the reservoir 3. The opening 41 has a concave shape and has a radius identical to that of the contact zone 23. It has a length similar to that of the contact zone 23, but its width 1 is slightly smaller.

A wiper 5 is rigidly fastened to the reservoir 3 by virtue of a tight fit between a first part of the wiper formed by walls 54 and the walls of the reservoir 3, as shown in FIG. 2. This first part also includes two internal walls 51 and 52. These two walls are directed toward one another when at rest and bear one against the other over the length of the opening of the reservoir. This first part is separated by a bead 56 from a second part formed by walls 55. The latter ensures that the wiper 5 butts up against the reservoir 3. Moreover, rims 57 extend at the end of the walls 55 as shown in FIG. 1. With reference to the direction in which the product leaves the reservoir, the wiper 5 is situated on the downstream side of the limiter 4, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 9.

When the article is open, that is to say when the closure member is not closing the reservoir 3, the leaktightness of the reservoir is provided by the two walls 51 and 52 that bear directly against one another and are curved in the direction of the reservoir along a curve 53 that can be seen in FIG. 6, is transverse to the reservoir and has a concave curvature. This arrangement makes it possible to prevent the product leaking, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 9.

When the article is closed by the closure member, the stamp 2 is accommodated between the two walls 51 and 52 of the wiper 5, which are consequently slightly more curved in the direction of the reservoir, as FIGS. 2, 5 and 8 show. In this position, the walls 51 and 52 are therefore no longer in contact with one another, but each of them is in contact with a respective side of the stamp 2. The walls are produced in a material imparting some elasticity to them, such as an elastomer. As FIG. 8 shows, the contact zone 23 of the stamp 2 is then situated at the level of the opening 41 of the limiter in a chamber 8 delimited by the limiter 4 and the wiper 5. The stamp 2 extends in part in this chamber 8. Its contact zone 23 can be in contact with the edges of the opening 41 and flush with it, but cannot penetrate into the opening, which is narrower than the zone 23. When the reservoir is oriented to allow the product to flow by gravity in the direction of the stamp, the product contained in the reservoir 3 passes through the opening 41 of the limiter and impregnates the contact zone 23. This makes it possible to concentrate the product on the contact zone for good impregnation thereof.

The use of the article will now be explained.

When it is wished to close the article by closing the reservoir 3, the external wall 15 of the closure member 1 is guided on the wall 55 of the second part of the wiper and butts up against the bead 56, as FIGS. 2, 4, 5 and 8 show. This wall 15 engages with the rims 57, as can be seen in FIG. 2, with a result that the closure member is immobilized on the reservoir. It is at the time of this closure that the stamp 2 carried by the closure member 1 penetrates between the deformable walls 51 and 52 of the wiper 5 and places its contact zone 23 at the level of the opening 41 of the limiter 4 to arrive at the arrangement shown in FIGS. 5 and 8.

When the article is opened by pulling on the closure member 1, the stamp 2 carried by the closure member is gradually withdrawn from the orifice 32 of the reservoir 3, its sides rubbing on the edges of the internal walls 51 and 52 of the wiper 5 that were allowing it to pass. This rubbing wipes the stamp 2. The walls 51 and 52 then close on one another by virtue of their elasticity and therefore close the reservoir 3 to arrive at the arrangement of FIGS. 6, 7 and 9.

Once opened, as FIGS. 6, 7 and 16 show, there is on the one hand the reservoir 3 with the limiter 4 and the wiper 5 and on the other hand the closure member 1 bearing the stamp 2, this part also being shown in FIG. 12. Here the part of the stamp projecting from the closure member is 8.37 mm high.

By holding the wall 5 of the closure member 1 directly, a person can then apply the contact zone 23 of the stamp 2 to an eyelid 7, as FIG. 16 shows. The contact zone 23 being of concave shape, it is simple to place it on the eyelid 7 before pressing. The hand being placed very closely behind the stamp 2 on the closure member 1, the gesture to be performed is precise and consists in a frontal pressure. To this end pressure is in fact exerted on the closure member in the direction of the part of the body to be made up, here the eyelid 7, so that the stamp impregnates it with product.

In the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the article 200 differs from that of the first embodiment only in that the free end face 16 of the closure member 1 is not rounded but flat and the end zone 11 of the closure member is flared. Here the width of the flared base is 78.9 mm.

The closed article 200 can therefore rest in stable equilibrium on a flat surface by means of its flat end face 16 alone, with the reservoir 3 situated above the closure member 1. This encourages the flow of the product toward the contact surface 23 of the stamp 2 when the article 200 is at rest, even if the reservoir is almost empty of product. The flared shape makes the article 200 more stable and encourages the user to place the article on the surface in this position.

In the third embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 to 12 the article 300 differs from the articles 100 and 200 in that the free end zone 11 of the closure member is not flared, the end face 16 remaining flat.

The contact zone 23 of the stamp 2 may be flat rather than concave. In this variant, shown in FIG. 13, the stamp may be applied to any part of the body, preferably a flat part. The user is therefore not limited in the choice of the parts of the body that they wish to make up.

Here the contact zone 23 of the stamp 2 of the article 400 is formed by the tops of raised areas 25 that form patterns, which makes it possible to apply patterns to the part of the body concerned, as FIGS. 13 to 14 show. Here the stamp from FIGS. 13 and 14 makes it possible to draw in a single application five stars of different sizes aligned in the principal direction of the contact zone 23, which here has a width of 4 mm, the width of the largest star.

Alternatively, the stamp of the article 500 from FIG. 15 makes it possible to draw a frame 26 that is 2 mm wide and a wave 27 inside the frame, the frame and the wave forming the contact zone. The frame may be a raised area of the stamp and the wave may take the form of a cavity inside this frame, the contact zone formed in this way being concave or alternatively flat. The wave may also be provided without the frame and vice versa.

The stamp 2 may be removable. A user can remove the stamp accommodated in the closure member 1 and replace it with another one. In this way the user may own a number of stamps for the same article having different characteristics, notably at the level of their contact zone 23, for example different raised areas and cavities 25, in order to be able to choose which patterns they wish to apply. They may apply different patterns to different parts of the body.

The article need not include a limiter 4. In this case, a felt element 6 may be disposed inside the reservoir 3 that makes it possible to avoid the spreading of the product with which it is impregnated. An arrangement of this kind is shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. The felt component may be disposed inside the reservoir in any manner, equally well in the form of a single component that can be manipulated or in a spread-out manner. When the article is closed, the stamp is in contact with this felt element in order to be impregnated with the product. The felt element 6 and the limiter 4 are therefore two possible ways to reduce the flow rate of product out of the reservoir 3. It is equally possible to combine the two elements.

The article may further include a cap 95, as shown in FIG. 17. The cap 95 is fixed to the reservoir 91 and makes it possible to close the article 600 in addition to the closure already effected by the closure member 92. The cap 95 then surrounds the closure member 92 in order to provide a leaktight closure. This reinforces the leaktightness of the reservoir 91. The cap 95 may also have an aesthetic function. The only difference in the use of the method according to the invention is that the user must first remove the cap 95 from the reservoir 91. They then grasp the closure member 92 to apply the product as explained above. When finished, they can close the article first with the closure member, then with the cap. The cap does not need to be fastened directly to the reservoir. It may therefore be fastened by means of one or more other parts. For example, the cap 95 could be fastened directly to any other part enabling it to cover the closure member 92 when the latter is closing the orifice. It could therefore be fastened to the closure member itself.

Of course, numerous modifications could be made to the invention without departing from the scope thereof.

The article need not include a wiper. Also the wiper and the limiter may form a single component produced by a mono-injection molding process or by a bi-injection molding process. 

1. An eyeliner, which comprises: a cosmetic product reservoir having an orifice, a stamp having a main contact zone capable of coming into contact with a part of the body of a person, and a closure member bearing the stamp and capable of closing the orifice, wherein the eyeliner is arranged so that the entire contact zone is oriented in the direction of the reservoir as soon as the stamp is introduced into the orifice.
 2. The eyeliner as claimed in claim 1, further comprising, in the reservoir, at least one product dispensing member, the eyeliner being arranged so that the contact zone is flush with the product dispensing member when the closure member is fastened to the reservoir so as to close the orifice.
 3. The eyeliner as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a wiper capable of wiping the stamp during the removal thereof from the orifice.
 4. The eyeliner as claimed in claim 3, wherein the wiper is capable of providing a leaktight closure of the reservoir when the closure member does not close the orifice.
 5. The eyeliner as claimed in claim 3, wherein the wiper comprises two walls which are independent of one another and deformable, allowing the stamp to pass between them and capable of bearing against one another when the stamp is not between them.
 6. The eyeliner as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a limiter having an opening sized in order to limit a flow of the product out of the reservoir and in order to form a chamber delimited by the limiter and the wiper.
 7. The eyeliner as claimed in claim 6, arranged so that when the eyeliner is closed, the opening is positioned against the contact zone of the stamp so as to enable the product to impregnate the whole of the contact zone.
 8. The eyeliner as claimed in at least claim 1, which comprises a felt component in the reservoir.
 9. The eyeliner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact zone has a concave shape.
 10. The eyeliner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact zone has a radius of between 40 and 100 mm.
 11. The eyeliner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the contact zone is flat.
 12. The eyeliner as claimed in claim 1, wherein a width of the contact zone is between 0.5 mm and 4 mm, preferably between 1 mm and 2 mm.
 13. The eyeliner as claimed claim 1, wherein the contact zone is arranged in order to form, on the part of the body, at least one pattern that does not form a straight line.
 14. The eyeliner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the closure member has a free end enabling the eyeliner to be put down on a flat surface by resting on this sole end.
 15. The eyeliner as claimed in claim 1, additionally comprising a cap capable of covering the closure member by being fastened to the reservoir when the closure member closes the orifice.
 16. The eyeliner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the product comprises at least one element from among the following: water, a humectant, a polymer, a film-forming agent, a solubilizing agent, a pigment, a dye, a preserving agent, a gelling agent, a thickener and an emulsifier.
 17. A method for making up the skin, wherein use is made of an eyeliner as claimed in claim 1 and wherein a pressure is exerted on the closure member in the direction of the part of the body so that the stamp impregnates the latter with product. 